'I'm in a good place' - Keely Hodgkinson looking forward to Birmingham Diamond League outing

World-class athletics is back in Britain and all four individual Tokyo Olympic medallists are aligned for the Muller Birmingham Diamond League. The stage is a sparkling new Alexander Stadium, a new home for this generation of track and field stars. Ad/> For some, it has been a particularly rocky road to the start of an unprecedented season that takes in three majors in the space of a month.

AthleticsKatarina Johnson-Thompson to make UK return at Birmingham Diamond League16/05/2022 AT 11:42 Keely Hodgkinson crashed through Kelly Holmes' British record on the way to Olympic silver, a stunning entrance onto the big stage. However, March's big comeback ended on a warm-up track in Belgrade as she withdrew from the World Indoor Championships with a thigh injury. «I took six weeks to get healthy and make my quads strong so hopefully it doesn't happen again,» said the 20-year-old.

«I do think everything happens for a reason and it's better that it happened then than in June. I just moved on from it and I'm in a good place.» Hodgkinson headlines the meet-closing 800m, the only sub-1:56 runner in the field, pointing to a morale-boosting victory for the reigning Diamond League champion. «I'll attack it and see who goes with me,» she said.

After finishing sixth at London 2012 and fifth in Rio, Holly Bradshaw finally vaulted onto the Olympic podium with bronze in Tokyo. A tenacious competitor indoors, the Lancastrian missed Belgrade and the whole winter season due to 'health, body and mental challenges.' Bradshaw said: «I've had a really challenging nine months and it has tested my motivation, but I absolutely love the sport. »Having jumped a PB that I worked on for nine years and secured an Olympic medal, it has ticked every box I